…That’s right. I’m back. It’s been too long. And I have a few things I want to show you. I’ve been meaning to share them for a while, but I am kind of a procrastinator.

“Kind of.”

First off (and this is pretty recent): Walk Off the Earth! One of the most unique bands ever! They are mostly a cover band, but the way they perform is absolutely one-of-a-kind. Here is there most famous video: a cover of a song by Gotye.

They have also made covers of Someone Like You, Party Rock Anthem (wow, I used to hate that song until I saw their cover!), the Backin’ Up Song and more! The videos are all on YouTube and the songs you can buy on iTunes.

I love flying, and I love flight simulators, but the problem is…my small netbook doesn’t have the screen resolution for a flight simulator (I know this from downloading a demo of Microsoft Flight Simulator X – it wouldn’t open because of my screen’s resolution, even at maximum!). So, yeah, with no disc drive it looks like no flight simulators on the laptop for me :-(.

But – good news! With an iPod Touch, I can buy a $5 flight simulator on the Apple store: X-Plane Airliner. X-Plane Airliner is a simple and limited but fun flight simulator for iPod Touch and iPhone, where you can fly 9 different jetliner planes: the Boeing 777, 747, 757 and 787; the Airbus A380 and A320; the MD-88 and the retired Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, as well as the supersonic Concorde. (*breath*)

Sure, this program doesn’t have 3D buildings, it only has nine planes, and limited places to fly, but it’s still a great game for five dollars. If you’re looking for some fun flying for a low price, X-Plane Airliner is as good as it gets for the iPod Touch or iPhone. And – there are different versions, too – X-Plane Glider, X-Plane Helicopter, even X-Plane Space Apollo. There is also X-Plane 9, which is also what the desktop version of X-Plane is called. This version has various types of airplanes, not just commercial jetliners. And, if you have an iPod Touch or iPhone fourth generation, you can buy a $10 app called X-Plane HDEF which has the graphics for an iPad and is a combination of at least five other X-Plane apps (including Airliner). This app has extra features and is exclusively for iPod Touch and iPhones fourth generation, and it works for iPad, too.

Yes, I only have the Airliner version, but there are countless X-Plane apps on iTunes for so many different tastes. Here are some screen shots of the Airliner app in action.

Lately I got to listening to Owl City again – the newest album (All Things Bright and Beautiful) through. I suddenly realized something – and thought, what happened? Why? Because I began to notice that I didn’t like some of the songs there, and the way they were so different from those from the 2009 album, Ocean Eyes. An example of this is the song Kamikaze, which was disappointing to me – I just didn’t like the style. A handful of people commented similar opinions to mine on the album’s iTunes reviews.

What happened?

I’ll tell you what happened to me – I jumped to the new album too soon. I “pre-ordered” the album on iTunes over a month before it came out; only one song was even available to preview and buy. So I had no way of knowing if it was worth it to buy the whole album right then and there. Yes, I suppose that’s fine – after all, I loved Owl City’s older style and had no idea this would be…different. And I don’t feel hoodwinked or robbed or swindled; I just know that from now on…I shouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch (in other words, I shouldn’t get my music before it’s released) ;-).

Cleopatra is our family’s hamster, and a few days ago, she went missing from her cage. We searched all over our apartment, and even blocked the space under the door so if was still somewhere in the house, she wouldn’t wander out under the door.

On Saturday morning, Cleopatra was found – in the parking garage of the neighboring building to ours. She was dirty, and thinner than before, but she was very much alive. Yes, she has been keeping to herself a lot since then, but she may have been injured – apparently someone kicked her at one point, so she may be healing.

To make things a little clearer: The hamster crawled out the door, went down several flights of stairs, crossed a busy driveway and survived a parking garage. How she did all this, we don’t know, but I’m just relieved she is okay.

Google sure does know how to rival everything, don’t they? They know people will go for their stuff even if it’s just their approach to someone else’s original product. Why? I think that because so many people have Google accounts, they go for it when they can get another free service without setting up another account.

And I have to admit, since I’ve got a new netbook now with a webcam, I went for Google Chat, which from the title you can probably guess is their version of Skype. Yes, I have Skype too, but some other people I know have this Google Chat thing, and I thought, why not? I still only have the video/voice chat plugin, which means that I can only make calls through an Internet browser over Gmail, iGoogle or orkut, which, by the way, is Google’s Facebook equivalent, I believe.

What do you think Google will copy next?! 🙂 Let me know here or at our new Facebook page. Like! Comment! Subscribe! (Wow, I kind of almost sounded like a YouTuber there!!)

Now you can “Like” Random Reviews and Thoughts on Facebook, and get updates and other posts right in your Facebook news feed! Just go to our Facebook page to get started! Or, just find the Facebook widget on the right side of the page. More blog (and Facebook) posts coming soon!

Bags fly free…on Southwest! At least the first two checked bags. Speaking of Southwest, one week ago was my 13th birthday and we happened to be traveling on Southwest Airlines that day! Turns out my mom had told the flight attendants it was my birthday at the beginning of the flight, so as the plane was on final approach (that means coming in to land), and it was dark out, the flight attendant dimmed the lights, and had everyone press their call buttons. This caused small lights to turn on all throughout the 737’s cabin, like candles, and then of course everyone sang “Happy Birthday!” And then of course I blew out the candles! =)

You will not get that on United Airlines…

And speaking of Southwest – one of the funniest pre-flight announcements I’ve heard (unfortunately this isn’t my own video!)…